Woman disusses positive impact of new cassava varieties supplied by FARM-Africa, enabling her family to eat more and earn additional income.
Western Kenya Cassava Project
Many farmers in Nyanza province in western Kenya struggle to produce enough food to feed their families on land that is degraded and unproductive.
Thanks to the support of the National Farmers Union (NFU) through the Africa 100 Appeal, FARM-Africa is helping farmers in Ugenya and Nyanza districts to grow larger and disease-free harvests of the staple crop cassava.
Cassava is an essential crop to feed families but also any excess can be processed into cassava chips or flour which can fetch a good price at market.
Devastating plant diseases have ruined cassava harvests in recent times but thanks to this new project farmers are receiving new varieties of disease-resistant cassava that mature faster than traditional varieties enabling farmers to produce larger healthier harvests. One farmer-managed processing factory will be established in each district to help the farmers to earn more money from their cassava by processing it, for market.
How are communities benefiting?
- Currently, farmers in Nyanza who do grow cassava produce 1-3 tonnes per hectare. Their crop takes 12-18 months to mature and has high levels of toxicity. New varieties can produce between 10 and 15 tonnes of cassava (with low levels of toxicity) in just 9-12 months.
- For an average family, two healthy cassava plants are enough for a day’s meals. With 1,000 healthy plants a family will have enough food for the whole year and surplus to sell to improve their household income.
Who are we helping?
The introduction of new variety of cassava aims to enable 3,825 households, with around 23,000 family members to produce more, healthy cassava.
Project partners
FARM-Africa is working with The Community Rehabilitation and Environmental Protection Programme (CREP) thanks to the support of the NFU.
John's Story
John Okanyas is a farmer from Migori District, western Kenya. He has always relied on growing cassava in order to provide food for his family and to earn an income. A few years ago his cassava crop was badly affected by two viruses. Unable to treat the viruses, he was left to harvest diseased crops which his family couldn’t use or sell at market. As a result he was unable to feed his family or buy essentials such as medicines or school equipment.
In 2009 FARM-Africa’s Maendeleo Agriculture Technology Fund (MATF) started to work with the Migori Farmers’ Group. As a member of the group John was given the opportunity to test out an improved variety of cassava which is disease-free and drought-tolerant. The new variety also matures much faster and its harvest can be up to 10 times larger.
Since John began growing the new variety of cassava he has had a much bigger yield. His income has increased and he is now able to provide for his family. As a result he is keen to share his knowledge with other local farmers in the district.
John says, ‘All my family’s daily food, my children’s school costs and our medical treatment come out of this field. If I have no harvest, I cannot provide any of these. Thankfully this new variety of cassava means I have the confidence to look at developing other crops such as mangoes.’
In the future John hopes to be able to sell his crop for a higher price at market by processing it into cassava chips or flour at one of the processing plants which will be set up by FARM-Africa.
NFU videos show how FARM-Africa partnership is changing lives in Kenya
FARM-Africa transforming lives in Western Kenya through improved cassava
The improved cassava varieties we have introduced in Western Kenya are having an enormous impact in enabling farmers to grow healthier cassava following the devastation of more traditional varieties by the Mosaic virus. The new variety is also delivering larger harvests, with surpluses earning additional income which is used to improve living conditions.
MATF launches new cassava project in western Kenya
Launched in No
vember 2009 this new project, which is supported by the NFU Africa 100 Appeal, will provide farmers in Ugenya and Migori districts in western Kenya with disease-free, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant cassava. The project aims to scale up a successful cassava growing model to reduce food insecurity in the area. FARM-Africa aims to enable approximately 3,825 households (with around 23,000 family members) to produce more, healthy cassava.
